Romania Visa From the UAE: A Schengen Guide

Romania completed its Schengen accession on 1 January 2025, when internal land border checks with the rest of the Schengen area were lifted, following the removal of air and sea border checks on 31 March 2024. For UAE residents, a Romanian short-stay visa is now a full Schengen visa, opening access to the entire zone on a single approval and adding Bucharest, Transylvania, and the Black Sea coast to the list of straightforward Schengen destinations.

This guide covers only the C-type Schengen visa: tourism, business travel, family visits, and visas for a nanny or domestic worker travelling with a UAE household. It does not cover work permits, study visas, or reapplying after a refusal.

Who Needs This Visa

Anyone residing in the UAE who holds a passport from a country on the Schengen visa-required list needs a visa to visit Romania, regardless of their UAE residency status. Whether a visa is required depends on your passport nationality, not on where you live, so UAE residents of visa-exempt nationalities can check the exemption applies to them specifically before assuming they are covered.

Where and How to Apply

Short-stay Schengen visa applications for Romania from the UAE are submitted in person at the Romanian Embassy in Dubai. Applicants should check the embassy’s current appointment system before travelling to the consular section, since in-person submission with biometric data is required for all first-time Schengen applicants and most repeat applicants under Schengen rules.

Documents Required by Purpose of Travel

• Tourist visits: proof of accommodation, a return ticket, and a travel itinerary for the full trip.
• Business visits: an invitation letter from the host company in Romania and a supporting letter from the applicant’s UAE employer.
• Family visits: an invitation from the host in Romania along with documents proving the family relationship.
• Nanny or domestic worker visas: proof of the employment relationship with the travelling family and evidence that the household is travelling together.

Every applicant needs a completed application form, a passport valid at least three months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area with at least two blank pages, a passport photo, and travel medical insurance valid across the Schengen area. UAE residents should also hold a UAE residence visa valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay in the Schengen area.

Fees and Processing Time

Romania follows the standard EU-wide Schengen visa fee schedule, which increased to EUR 90 for adults and EUR 45 for children aged six to under twelve as of 11 June 2024.

On timing, embassies usually decide within 15 calendar days of submission, as set by the Schengen Visa Code, and some cases take longer. Applicants should not book non-refundable travel until the visa has actually been issued, since there is no guaranteed turnaround.

Planning Around Demand

Interest in Romania has grown since it became a full Schengen member, and appointment availability at the Dubai embassy can tighten around UAE school holidays and the European summer season. Submitting documents as early as the timeline allows reduces the chance of a last-minute scramble.

Practical Tips for UAE Applicants

Double-check passport validity and blank-page requirements before your appointment, since these are among the most common reasons applications are sent back for correction. Keep copies of every document submitted, and remember that because Romania is now fully inside the Schengen area, a Romanian visa carries the same onward travel rights as a visa issued by any other member state.

Sources: European Commission, Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen Area, Council of the EU, Schengen: Council Decides to Lift Land Border Controls With Bulgaria and Romania, European Commission, Schengen Visa Fee Increased as of 11 June 2024, Consulate General of Romania in Dubai, The Romanian Visa.

Related Guides

• Schengen Visa Documents Checklist for UAE Residents
• Schengen Visa for Your Nanny: A Guide for UAE Families
• Schengen Visa to Visit Family in Europe: UAE Guide